


This Do I Swear

by Calamitous99



Category: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera & Related Fandoms, Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux
Genre: F/M, If anyone want to steal this--please do., Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:08:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29876109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calamitous99/pseuds/Calamitous99
Summary: Christine has always lived her life thinking that she sounded like cats mating underwater. Yet, for as much as she hated music, it enraptured her in ways that she couldn't resist. Working in a Broadway theatre venue surrounded her with that which she hated. One night proves to be her undoing when she stumbles upon a lone man practicing a song for the upcoming performance.ORThe three times Christine meets Erik, modern AU. The story premise and title are up for steal.
Relationships: Christine Daaé/Erik | Phantom of the Opera
Kudos: 6





	This Do I Swear

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!  
> So, this idea came to me as I was listening to a bunch of 'The Count of Monte Cristo" musical songs, and my mind jumped at a crazy idea of a sort-of-reverse POTO. Where Christine is singing duets with Erik from the shadows, and reluctant to show herself, since she doesn't really have a degree in theatre or singing (which, I feel like is the only way people in any career are able to get their jobs). Ofc, Erik is still disfigured, and Christine still sounds like an angel.
> 
> I would have taken my time and made this a series, but I'm already working on a big project for another fandom and I do not have the time to be working for a fandom I have no source knowledge about. For this reason, the story premise, idea, and title are up for anyone to take for their own. I love reading the fics on the POTO, E/C tag, so I would be honored if this was taken off my hands.
> 
> End note has the links to the songs used in the story~!

The first time Christine came across him, she was busy setting up the costumes for the next day’s performance during after hours at the theatre. She just happened to be walking by the stage when she heard his voice sing one of the scores accompanied by the melody of the piano. From the comfort of the darkness, Christine peered into the grand room. She could see the man, dressed sharply in black, playing the regal instrument with such elegance that it could make anyone weep.

But what enraptured her was his deep, silvery voice.

Not only had it seemed to embrace her like a spirit, but it made her wish to sing along--a private hobby since she knew that her voice was horrendous. Her adopted mother made sure to tell her that much every day in her youth.

Without thinking, she inched into the venue. Christine passed by the first row of empty theatre seats.

He sang the last bit of Edmond’s piece, unaware of the audience: 

_ “I will be there, like mercy I will find you through it all, _ _   
_ _ This do I swear; I will be there.” _

Christine knew this score by heart. After all, she had to listen to the lead actress practice daily as she worked on the woman’s makeup and hair. The man continued to run his hands over the ivory keys elegantly. Christine counted the invisible beats before she started Mercedes’ part.

_ “In the language never spoken, lived the promises we made, _ _   
_ _ In the endless love that owns me, heart and soul...” _

As the words flowed from her lips with ease, she heard the slight falter of his fingers over the instrument--but he had recovered and continued the melody. Her heart drummed faster, knowing that this stranger had allowed her to sing the duet with him. Her voice betrayed her nervousness as she continued to sing as Mercedes.

_ “Through the darkest sky, I will be like the shimmer of one small star, _ _   
_ _ Out there, shining everywhere…”  _

Christine repeated the lyrics she had heard him sing when she had intruded on his private moment, changing the word  _ ‘mercy’  _ for  _ ‘freedom’ _ as she remembered. She knew the quick change before the cue hit, and she sang her next part right as the tones of the piano melody changed and grew powerful, knowing that this was the buildup to the peak of the duet.

_ “In the harbor quarter,” _ _   
_ _ “In the stone and mortar,” _ _   
_ _ “In the star that we both share.” _

They sang together, his deep voice blending with hers in such an enchanting way that it felt forbidden and intimate. Within the darkness, Christine took another step forward, her voice coming to a pitch. She remembered her father’s casual teaching of using her diaphragm to support her voice as she climbed higher notes, and her voice rang out with his as they approached the climax,

_ “I will be there, beside you through the lonely nights that fall. _ _   
_ _ So close your eyes, remember my embrace. _ _   
_ _ I will be there, like justice; I will find you through it all. _ _   
_ _ This do I swear; I will be there.” _

His long fingers danced effortlessly across the keys as he slowed towards the ending. As she softly sang Mercedes’ last solo part,  _ ‘I will be there’ _ , the enchantment over her broke. Christine realized that her hands became clammy, and she held the outfits too tight; her body trembled from the adrenaline. Fright grasped her throat and rendered her voiceless.

She made a horrible mistake.

Like a frightened, silent animal, Christine turned and fled the theatre room, abandoning the duet’s last lines. Luckily, she didn’t have her high heels tonight, so her fleeing did not draw attention. If the man noticed that she was gone, it didn’t matter. Her mind was racing with many degrading thoughts that she couldn’t bring herself to care about it.

_ It’ll be fine _ , she thought to herself as she rounded the corner to the laundry room.  _ You’ll forget this ever happened. Don’t speak of it, don’t think of it. _

As she placed the clothes on the pile, she drew out her phone from her back pocket and shot a text to her best friend. 

_ Me _   
_ Hey, Meg bby, come pick me up.  _

  
  


“Meg, I swear, I messed up,” Christine groaned as she flopped onto her bed. Meg chuckled as she casually tossed her keys onto the kitchen table before stalking over and leaning against the doorframe to Christine’s room.

“How, may I ask?” her friend purred effortlessly.

“I think I ruined the earbuds of the actor who is playing Edmond.” 

“What?”

“I know!” Christine whined as she flipped on the bed covers and falsified a sniffle. “I just… heard him sing and... God, he sounds so hot.” The confession spilled from Christine’s lips effortlessly. It wasn’t a secret she hid from Meg. She loved those deep, rich voices. From voice actors like Jamieson Price to singers like Thomas Borchert, she couldn’t help herself from being drawn to their invisible pull.

Meg giggled and sat on the bed, “Ah? Having a crush already? Didn’t you just get hired at that theatre like a month ago?”

Christine huffed and glanced over, purring coyly, “Yeah, and it’s been so lonely. Singing with him felt like musical sex.”

“How vulgar!” Meg laughed, her small hand grasping the pillow behind her and whacking Christine’s middle with it, earning a gentle  _ ‘oof’ _ . “So what did he look like? Did someone finally tell you that your singing is so fucking phenomenal? Because it is.”

“What? No. I left before the song even ended.” 

“Christ-”  _ Wack! _ “-tine!!”

“Meg! No-o!!”

  
  


The second time Christine came across him was a few days later when he and his business partner went to the main actress’ dressing room to discuss the practice production. She knew it was him the moment he spoke.

“Do you have an understudy?” the deep voice instantly sent shivers up Christine’s spine, and she peeked from her place by the dresses. He was impossibly tall, dressed sharply in black, with a black tie to complete the look. It was hard to overlook the black mask that completely covered his face.

Carlotta, the actress for Mercedes, lifted her eyes to him and frowned, “I do not. Why?”

With the mask, no one could read him. The man in white smoothly picked up, “Erik said that your understudy caught his attention. However, seeing how you don’t have an understudy…”

Carlotta nodded in understanding, tapping her ruby lips with her index finger, “I see…”

“I swear,” The man in the black mask--Erik--stumbled with his words. His long, gloved hand reached up to his mask as if nursing a headache. “It was only a few nights ago. I thought…”

“No worries,” the other man grinned as he clasped his hand on Erik’s bicep.“Ah, women. Elusive, and secret.”

The look of slight confusion on Carlotta’s face melted, and she nearly mirrored the man’s grin. “ _ Like magic _ ,” Carlotta softly sang.

Erik seemed to catch where they were going and growled at them as he tore his arm from the man, “Shut up you two. Charles, let’s go.”

Charles laughed as he bid goodbye to Carlotta and turned around to leave. Christine followed them with her eyes, keeping her hands busy by dumbly dusting off nonexistent dust from them. Just before Erik left stepped out, he glanced over in her direction. They locked eyes for a second.

Such a pretty, gold-yellow color-- 

Almost on instinct, Christine’s head snapped back to the dress in her hands. She pretended to be very interested in the attire, then nodded to herself and turned to face away from the doorway. She tidied up the area around her, trying to seem very busy.

Her pulse was so loud in her ears; she didn’t hear the low conversation between Erik and Carlotta.

“Carlotta, who is that?”

“Hm? Her? Her name is Christine.” 

“Does she sing?”

“I never heard her.”

“Huh.”

On her break, Christine flipped out her phone with trembling hands. She worried her bottom lip as she sent a rapid text to Meg. 

_ Me _ _   
_ _ Omfg, Meg, I saw him. _

_ Big Sis _ _   
_ _ Gurl, pls tell me he’s hawt. Did he recognize you? _

_ Me _ _   
_ _ Haha, no. I hope not. _

  
  
  


The third time she bumped into him, she was waiting for Meg to pick her up. She was sitting on the steps leading up to the building. Her phone cradled on her lap as she tapped her cheek with her finger. It was another night shift, so everything was quiet in the crisp midnight air. Carlotta was practicing another duet all day today, and it became lodged in Christine’s head. Instead of repeating her mistake earlier this month, Christine decided to be obedient and not risk her job any further.

The melody haunting her mind was like an itch begging to be scratched.

With a sigh, Christine hummed the beginning before she let the words form on her lips. 

_ “In eyes once familiar, a stranger I see, _ _   
_ _ With so many words left to say...” _

_ “This man is dead,” _

The dangerous tone of the voice that answered made Christine jolt. She knew who he was, even without turning around to face him--and her mind raced.

_ “He is no more. He died a little each day.” _

The sound of polished shoes clicked too-close behind her, and the man failed to continue Edmond’s segment. Christine had abandoned the song as well.

“So,” the deep voice tore into her bitingly. She chewed on her bottom lip hard as her arms slowly wrapped around her body. Although her instincts told her to run, her body remained planted in its place as if the other man would forget she was there if she didn’t move a muscle. “You’re the mysterious Mercedes.”

She blinked away the stinging in her eyes, unable to bring herself to confirm or deny the statement.

Her silence seemed to be a sort of invitation for him to continue, “You left me searching for you for an entire month after our private duet in the performance venue.”

“I…” Christine’s voice choked. The first thought that sprang up was that she would be fired--from all of the little talks she managed to hear from other employees of the theatre, Erik was a very high-status owner of the building. He had more than enough power to get rid of her with just a glance, and she couldn’t afford that loss. “I’m so sorry… I’m really sorry. I won’t sing again, I promise.”

“And why is that?” Erik’s tone felt sarcastic, and it made Christine fear the worse.

“I… I need this job,” Christine’s words were choked with tears, her emotions spilling over from fear. She was just so used to blending in with the background. Being singled out like this stressed her out so much. “Please… I have nothing else…”

He did not respond to her, and he never got the chance to. Christine saw Meg’s car pulling up. Seeing the opportunity to run, she bolted from her spot, skipping every other step on her way down to the sidewalk. As soon as the car paused briefly, Christine ripped open the passenger seat and jumped in.

“Go!” she hurried as she slammed the door a little too forcefully.

“Christine? Wh-”

“ _Go!_ ” 

And the car drove off. Christine didn’t bother to look back at the man she had left behind, blinded by her tears and consumed by her fear. Her good friend didn’t bother her or ask questions as they drove back to their shared apartment.

Christine wished that was the last time she would ever meet Erik.

**Author's Note:**

> Songs in order, from [The Count of Monte Cristo (Der Graf von Monte Christo) Musical](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_IQRRZmZlI):  
> [I will be there](https://youtu.be/UW0ipg-sLWE)  
> [Ah, Women](https://youtu.be/6Y3DTVlUn9k) (Not exactly sung, but referenced in the text)  
> [I Know Those Eyes / This Man Is Dead](https://youtu.be/SUN7xeztdD0)


End file.
